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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23135776">Time Travel Troubles</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eternally_Exhausted/pseuds/Eternally_Exhausted'>Eternally_Exhausted</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The LEGO Movie (2014)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:14:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,237</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23135776</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eternally_Exhausted/pseuds/Eternally_Exhausted</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Benny has a little whoops with one of his inventions.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Benny/Bad Cop | Good Cop (The LEGO Movie)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Time Travel Troubles</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/abyssalUpwelling/gifts">abyssalUpwelling</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>THIS HAS <a href="https://sweet-general-mayhem.tumblr.com/post/631631615959891969/he-looked-around-the-living-room-taking-in-the">FANART</a> NOW AAAAAAAAAAAA</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Metalbeard told him it was a stupid, reckless idea.</p><p>Unikitty didn’t think it would even work.</p><p>Benny was determined to try anyway. If he could get his time machine up and running, perhaps he could go back in time to help Vitruvius keep the Kragle away from Lord Business. Or even convince Business himself that Master Builders weren’t bad! Whatever he might say about his ‘evil plans’, surely deep down he wasn’t <em>truly</em> an evil person. Surely he could be <em>convinced</em>.</p><p>…In retrospect, he decided he should just stick with building spaceships.</p><p>The time machine had worked, just… not in the way Benny expected. Instead of sending him a couple years <em>back</em> in time, it sent him an indeterminable amount of time into the <em>future</em> (though it would be a bit before he discovered this fact). The thing had short-circuited and… exploded? And knocked him out for several hours. Not only that, but it seemed to throw him into a completely different <em>location</em> as well. When he returned to consciousness, it was to find himself in a bed, next to another body.</p><p>Another man, to be exact, and a rather handsome one if he was being completely honest with himself. Even if the salt and pepper hair and the lines on his face told Benny that he was a fair bit older than the astronaut. By a decade at least, maybe two. Well, this was a first. He’d never woken up in bed with a stranger before. He sat up and rubbed at his stubble, looking around.</p><p>It was a cozy-looking room, and it was <em>quiet</em>. Wherever he was, it wasn’t a city. Suburbs, at least. Maybe even completely rural. That would make it harder to get back to his lab.</p><p>The man at his side stirred, starting to wake up, and Benny froze when an arm stretched around his waist and tugged him close. “Mornin’, Ben.”</p><p>Benny screamed.</p><p>The man- no, not just any man, <em>Bad Cop</em>- was awake and on his feet in an instant. “What is it?!” he demanded, reaching for his gun. “Is someone in the house-”</p><p>“Nonono<em>nononono!</em>” Benny had launched himself across the room the moment he was released, scrabbling at the door as he tried to get out. Bad Cop stopped where he stood and stared dumbfounded as Benny finally got the door open and bolted through it. <em>“I’m not letting you take me!”</em></p><p>He made it outside, chest heaving as he glanced for something, <em>anything</em>, he could take apart to make his escape. Bad Cop’s car! That would work-</p><p>He let out a startled shriek as he suddenly collapsed, limbs feeling like jello and antigrav abilities nullified. There was a gentle sigh somewhere above him, and he found himself lifted into strong arms and carried back in the house. Benny was too stunned, too <em>terrified</em>, to so much as squeak in protest. He found himself placed gently on the couch, a blanket tugged around his shoulders, and Bad Cop crouched down before him, giving him a calm, if weary, look. Benny blinked at the close-up view of the monster from Master Builders’ nightmares.</p><p>…His eyes were such a pretty shade of blue-</p><p>“I’m not going to arrest you,” he said softly. “That’s not my job anymore.”</p><p>Benny swallowed hard. “Then why am I <em>here?</em>”</p><p>He almost felt bad for the flash of hurt that crossed Bad Cop’s face at his question. Almost. The cop rubbed at his face as he thought how to answer it. “…What year is it, Ben?”</p><p>Benny gave him a wary look. “Two thousand six. Duh.”</p><p>“I see.”</p><p>The astronaut chewed on his lip as he thought. “…That’s not the year I’m actually in though, is it?”</p><p>“No,” the cop answered, voice still unusually soft. “It’s twenty twenty-nine.”</p><p>Benny’s jaw dropped. “No way! It actually <em>worked?!</em>”</p><p>“Mhmm.”</p><p>“You- you know what I’m talking about.”</p><p>“You warned me yourself that this would happen.”</p><p>“Which means I make it <em>back</em>,” Benny sighed in relief. “Oh thank goodness.” He frowned in confusion, then. “Wait. Why would I warn you? …What are you not telling me?” He looked around the living room, taking in the photos, the various knick knacks.</p><p>The ring on Bad Cop’s finger.</p><p>“Oh. Oh <em>sh</em>- we- <em>we’re?</em>” Oh stars, he <em>couldn’t get enough air</em>- “<em>How- Why</em>- why would I- <em>you?!</em>”</p><p>“Ben, <em>breathe</em>,” Bad Cop said, reaching for him but aborting the movement when it only made Benny’s panic worse. Benny blinked, forgetting to breathe at all when he found himself staring at another face, so like Bad Cop’s but unmistakably <em>different</em>.</p><p>“It’s okay Benny, you’re <em>safe</em>,” a far kinder voice said, and slowly the restrictions around Benny’s lungs eased. “We’re going to help you get back, okay?” Benny nodded, still not sure what to make of <em>this</em> development. “Where is your lab?”</p><p>“In Cape Space,” Benny murmured. “Who are you?”</p><p>Instead of looking hurt, like Bad Cop had, this guy just smiled at his question. “You can call me Good Cop. Master Builders won’t become aware of my existence until <em>after</em> TAKOS Tuesday.”</p><p>He really <em>was</em> in the future. He forgot about his Bad Cop Dilemma for the time being, in the face of his growing curiosity and excitement. “Can you- can you tell me about it? Am I allowed to know?”</p><p>“Shower and breakfast first, then I’ll answer any questions you have, deal?”</p><p>Benny started to protest, but then his stomach grumbled. He gave Good Cop a sheepish smile. “Deal.”</p><p>~* *~</p><p>He spent perhaps a little longer in the shower than was really necessary, but it afforded him some much-needed privacy to think. Good Cop had showed him which dresser was his and where the closet was, and though he was unfamiliar with the current fashion trends the clothing certainly looked like something he’d pick out. Just one more little detail that said this was <em>his</em> house, and made his head hurt.</p><p>Of all people, why <em>Bad Cop?</em></p><p>(It wasn’t helping that he couldn’t get that hurt expression out of his head. He didn’t know Bad Cop even <em>could</em> feel anything other than angry.)</p><p>Good Cop was still fronting when he finally re-emerged, now clean and dressed in fresh clothing. And whatever he was cooking smelled <em>good</em>. Benny sat at the table and tried not to drool as Good Cop set a plate before him, digging in almost immediately. Good Cop laughed. “That’s quite the appetite.”</p><p>“I, uh. Forget to eat sometimes,” the spaceman admitted.</p><p>Good Cop gave him a patient smile. “We know, Benny.”</p><p>Breakfast was finished in awkward silence (or at least it felt awkward to Benny). Good Cop seemed content enough to sip at his mug of coffee without conversation. He took Benny’s plate when the spaceman finished, rinsing it off before leaving it sit in the sink. He motioned for Benny to follow as he grabbed their car keys. “I believe I promised you some answers.”</p><p>“Why <em>Bad Cop?</em>”</p><p>Good Cop chuckled softly. “Of course you’d start with the only question I <em>don’t</em> have an answer for. I’m afraid that one’s going to be for you to figure out on your own.”</p><p>“Okay. What’s TAKOS Tuesday?”</p><p>“It was the day Lord Business nearly Kragled the world,” Good Cop answered, almost too quietly to hear. He opened the passenger door for Benny, and the spaceman hopped in. “It was also the day of the Master Builder uprising, and the day The Special talked Lord Business down.”</p><p>Benny stared. “So we- we <em>don’t</em> kill him? He actually <em>can</em> be persuaded otherwise?”</p><p>“He can be, yes. But I’ll tell you this- Emmet wasn’t the first person who <em>tried</em>, he was just the only one who actually <em>succeeded</em>. Goodness knows we tried, so many times…”</p><p>“And Emmet’s The Special?”</p><p>“Yep! Sweetest kid you could ever meet, if a bit of a dope. Most Master Builders didn’t like him upon first meeting him, simply because <em>he</em> wasn’t a Master Builder at the time.”</p><p>That was certainly news to Benny. “But I thought- The Special <em>had</em> to be a Master Builder…”</p><p>“He does become one, yes, he just isn’t one already when you all first meet him. From what he’s told us, though, you were the first person willing to give him a chance, aside from Vitruvius.”</p><p>“Me…?”</p><p>“Mhmm. The rest of your team only stuck with him to protect the Piece, at first. But his plan was the only one that ever even came <em>close</em> to stopping the Kragle.”</p><p>Benny stared out of the window as they drove, letting the information sink in. “But I thought you said he <em>did</em> stop Lord Business, not just <em>came close</em>.”</p><p>“Oh he did, just <em>that</em> particular plan didn’t work out. Our fault, really.”</p><p>“So what happened?”</p><p>Good Cop smiled at him. “That would be ruining the surprise, wouldn’t it?” Benny pouted at him.</p><p>“So… Should I stop him from going through with this plan? What can I do to help him fix it to make it work?”</p><p>“No, and nothing. There’s something that happens afterwards that gives him exactly what he needs to stop Lord Business. It <em>needs</em> to happen the way it did. There’s a reason the Piece chose <em>him</em>, after all.”</p><p>That made as much sense as anything else. Benny stared in wonder as they passed through a Master Builder tunnel. “You guys have access to these now? No one tears the walls down?”</p><p>“Everyone does. The Master Builders did debate tearing the walls down, but it turns out your tunnels are a quicker way to get between the realms, so you guys chose to open them up for public use instead.”</p><p>“Oh.” That was… surprisingly generous, really. He wondered if that was something this Emmet kid convinced them to do. “…I just have one more question.”</p><p>“What’s that?”</p><p>“Are they still making Star Trek movies?”</p><p>Good Cop started laughing. “Yes, Benny, they’re still making Star Trek movies.”</p><p>Benny quirked a grin back at him. “I guess I can’t complain about the future, then.”</p><p>They pulled into the parking lot at the Space Center at Benny’s direction. Benny unbuckled his seatbelt and popped the door open, then paused. “Is something the matter?”</p><p>“…Do I need you guys to come in with me?”</p><p>Good Cop hummed softly. “You didn’t tell us anything about needing help when we get here, so I’m assuming you fixed it when you got back, and it’s already waiting for you.”</p><p>“Okay.” Benny took a deep breath. “Can I talk to Bad Cop again?”</p><p>Good Cop seemed surprised by the request. “Sure.” He paused, waiting, then frowned, and Benny snickered, imagining Good Cop booting his other side to the fore again when their face switched and he was faced with Bad Cop again. The man hunched his shoulders, giving Benny a wary look.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Benny blurted out, much to the cop’s surprise. “That my questions hurt you. I’m guessing we’ve… been together for a while now.”</p><p>“Fifteen years,” Bad Cop murmured softly. “Almost. Our anniversary’s coming up soon.”</p><p>Benny felt his insides go a little fuzzy at that. <em>He’s the kind of guy who remembers. That’s really sweet.</em> He shook his head at himself. “I don’t know what it is future-me sees in you.” Bad Cop flinched. “But… I think I’m starting to see.” He gave Bad Cop a smile. “I mean. Obviously. We’re married, right?” Bad Cop nodded, slowly starting to smile back. “I’ll see you guys around.” He hopped out of the car then, practically skipping inside.</p><p>The receptionist blinked at him in surprise. “Stars, Benny, I thought you were pulling my leg when you told me about this. It’s still right where you left it. Don’t worry, nobody’s touched it since you fixed it.”</p><p>“So I <em>do</em> fix it when I get back,” he murmured to himself. “Very thoughtful of me to give everyone a heads up.” He waved and continued on his way, and laughed when he made it to the lab to find a handwritten note to himself taped to the machine detailing exactly what he needed to do to get back to his proper time. He followed his instructions, typing in the precise time he wanted to return to, and pushed the button. This time there was no explosion, just a flash of light, and he blinked to find himself… still in his lab. Only there was a post-explosion mess and another note taped to the freshly-repaired time machine.</p><p>
  <em>went ahead and fixed it since I was stuck here while you were harassing our husbands. maybe don’t mess with time travel anymore.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>-yourself from the future</em>
</p><p>“Oh definitely not,” Benny giggled to himself. He had no reason to anymore anyway, knowing The Special would eventually turn up and make things even better than anything the Master Builders themselves could do on their own. He couldn’t wait to meet the guy.</p><p>~* *~</p><p>Cary sighed in relief when Benny- <em>his</em> Benny- stepped out of the Space Center and zipped straight for the car, letting himself in and leaning over to give his husband an enthusiastic kiss. “You okay, B? You didn’t take it too hard, I hope…?”</p><p>“I tried not to,” Cary muttered. “It was… quite a shock to be faced with that again, after all these years.”</p><p>“I know,” Benny crooned, and kissed him again. “That’s why I wanted to warn you.”</p><p>“I’m just glad you’re back now.”</p><p>“Me too.” Benny took his hand, squeezing gently. “Let’s go home.”</p>
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